


You Promised

by madnephelite



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 07:03:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18544717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madnephelite/pseuds/madnephelite
Summary: Lucas made a promise but can he keep it?





	You Promised

Vic was so sure that he would come and that his answer to her proposal would be yes but here she is now and he is nowhere to be seen and she has her answer. He is not coming. He doesn’t want it all with her. He doesn’t want anything real. He doesn’t love her.

She pays and leaves, goes back to work because she needs the distraction. She needs to think about anything else but Lucas, the man that she fell in love with but who didn’t feel the same and it’s breaking her heart. What does him not showing up mean for them? Are they going to stay a secret forever? Was that him breaking up with her because he realized that this wasn’t going to work out after all? Vic wishes she could stop thinking about him but it’s not easy when you are in love and want to marry that person. How does one un-love someone? How does one move on from rejection and heartbreak?

Travis tries talking to her but Vic ignores him and walks away so she doesn’t have to listen to him and his reasons as to why Lucas didn’t show up. She doesn’t want to hear excuses.

They finish up at the Coffee Processing Plant and Vic and Travis are about to drive back to their station when they get another call. When they arrive on scene, they find a woman stuck on top of a tower. Vic doesn’t think much, grabs the harness and she is already climbing the tower ignoring Travis completely.

She makes it to the top and the victim doesn’t look hurt or confused.

“Hi, my name is Vic. What’s your name?” Vic asks but keeps her distance.

“I’m Kim. I don’t even know how I got here. One moment I was at home and the next I was climbing the tower and now I’m scared to go back down. I -- I don’t wanna die.” she tells Vic and she can see the fear in her eyes.

“Everything will be okay. We are both going to get down here in one piece. I promise.” just like he promised, Vic thinks.

“What if I fall?” Kim wonders.

“You won’t. I will keep you safe.” Vic tries to come closer.

“I have heard that before and then I got hurt. Why should I trust you?”

“Because you have no other choice. I know what it’s like to get hurt. Yesterday, I proposed to my boyfriend and told him to think about it. He told me to wait at our “place” this morning so we could discuss it...” Vic stops as she feels the tears in her eyes.

“What happened?” Kim wants to know.

“He didn’t show up. I tried calling him but he didn’t pick up his phone. I was so sure that he felt the same way but looks like he doesn’t. Now I’m here even though it’s the last place I wanna be. I would rather be with him, getting married and starting the rest of our lives together but that won’t be happening so I’m at work trying to save your life. It’s the only thing I am good at. So please, let me help you.” Vic outstretches her hand and Kim grabs it. Vic pulls her towards her and secures the harness around both of them and then they are climbing down.

Vic is surprised to find Sullivan, Andy and Ben at the scene when she finally reaches the ground. Travis takes care of Kim while she stares at her colleagues. 

“Hughes, I need you to come with me.” Sullivan tells her. His voice softer than it usually is.

“Why? What happened?”

“It’s about Ripley.” he says.

“I don’t care. Tell him that it’s over.” she knows it’s harsh but

“I may not get the chance since he is in the hospital and it doesn’t look good.” Vic listens to Sullivan’s words and it’s like someone just pulled the rug from underneath her feet.

“What?” she is trying to breath but it feels impossible. She watches as Sullivan moves closer to her.

“He needs you. He was asking for you and I promised that I would find you and bring you to him. Please, don’t make me break my promise.” he tells her and Vic just nods and lets him usher her into the aid car.

“I proposed.” Vic suddenly blurts out.

“I thought he did?” Vic looks curiously at her Captain. “He told me about it. We used to be friends a long time ago. It’s a long story.”

“He did propose marriage so we both could get away with violating policy but I told him that I didn’t want that. I wanted something real and love when I get married and then I proposed but I didn’t let him answer me. We were supposed to meet this morning but he stood me up.”

“He didn’t. He was getting flowers and then collapsed due to the smoke inhalation from yesterday. You were the first thing on his mind when he came to. I’ve known him for a long time and I don’t think I have ever seen him this in love with anyone.”

Vic looks at Sullivan and can’t help the tears streaming down her face. 

“So, he was going to say yes? He wants to marry me?” Sullivan nods. “Oh my god, and I thought that he didn’t want me. What -- What if...” she can’t say it.

“Don’t even think about it. Luke is a fighter and he has something worth living and fighting for. He will be okay. I promise.” her boss tells her but she can’t believe him.

“You can’t make such a promise.” she tells him.

“Then let’s just say that I believe that he will be fine. Okay?” Vic nods.

The finally arrive at the hospital and Vic jumps out of the car before it stops and rushes in, immediately looking for someone that can help her find him.

“Vic?” she hears an unfamiliar voice and turns around to find a woman standing there that she has never seen before but looking into her eyes she knows exactly who the woman is. She has the same eyes as her Lucas.

“Jennifer?” the woman nods and the next thing she knows they are hugging and just holding on to each other for a long moment until they finally let go of each other.

“Lucas is in surgery. His heart stopped when he tried to leave to go find you. I have no idea if he’s going to make it. It doesn’t look too good.” his sister tells Vic and she feels like the walls are closing in on her. She needs to get out of there. She excuses herself and runs out of the hospital. She bumps into Travis on her way out but doesn’t stop just keeps running until she finally finds a spot where she is alone and can just breath.

She can’t believe this is happening. Yesterday, she was planning the rest of her life with the man she loves and today she may have to plan his funeral and she can’t quite grasp it. 

“Vic?” she hears Travis but she doesn’t turn around. “Vic? Please talk to me.” she finally turns around and looks at her best friend.

“What do you want me to say?” she sobs. “He is in surgery. I didn’t get to see him and he may not make it. He may never wake up again. What am I going to do if he dies? What if the last moment we had together was when I proposed to him? What if my last words to him will remain “Okeydokey”? What if my last memory of him will be thinking that he stood me up and didn’t want to marry me when really he was collapsing somewhere and dying? What if I don’t get the chance to see him again and hold him and kiss him and tell him how much I love him? What if he doesn’t make it?” Vic is shaking and crying and Travis barely manages to get to her before she collapses onto the ground. He just holds her and lets her cry. 

There is nothing else he can do. He knows how she feels and he remembers people telling him that things would be okay, making promises they couldn’t possibly keep and he wasn’t going to do that to his best friend. There was a chance that Ripley wouldn’t make it and Travis knew that. He was not going to make promises he couldn’t keep.

He doesn’t know how long they stay like this but when she finally stops shaking and sobbing they hear footsteps behind them and turn around to find Sullivan standing there. Eyes red, filled with tears. Travis holds Vic tightly. He looks at his boss, waiting for him to say the words, the words that would crush his best friend. Travis braces himself as Sullivan opens his mouth to talk.

“He is alive!” he finally says and Travis listens as Vic lets out a sigh of relief and then she is crying again but this time it’s not sad tears but happy ones.

She lets go of Travis and takes the few steps towards Sullivan and then she is hugging him and he is hugging her back, just giving her strength and comfort and Travis remembers that Sullivan too knows what Vic has been going through only in Vic’s case unlike theirs Ripley actually made it out alive.

They walk back into the hospital and Dr. Pierce orders them to wait since only Jennifer is allowed to go in for now. Vic hates it. She wants to say screw it and just go find him and kiss him but instead she is patient and waits. She could wait a little bit longer as long as he is okay, she didn’t mind waiting

About an hour later, it’s finally her turn and she can visit him in the ICU. Vic is nervous and has no idea what she is going to say to him. One part of her wants to scream at him for not getting checked out but the other part just wants to hug and kiss him and never let go.

She gasps at the sight of him. He looks so pale and fragile. She is afraid to touch him because he might break. As she looks at him, she realizes that he looks older than he usually does and for the first time since they started dating, it dawns on her that there is a significant age difference between them and it scares her because it means she may lose him sooner than someone her age. She takes a deep breath and tries to bury those thoughts deep down. She needs to think good thoughts. He is alive and that is all that matter.

She sits down beside him and takes his hand in hers, kisses it before whispering the words she haven’t said to him before.

“I love you, Lucas. You promised to come back to me. Please, keep your promise.” she says as she lays her head beside him and falls asleep.

When she wakes up it’s dark outside and as she looks at their intertwined hands she notices something on her finger. She gasps when she realizes that it’s an engagement ring.

“I forgot my wallet and my phone but I did have the ring with me.” she hears his familiar voice and when she looks up into his beautiful blue eyes it’s like time stands still. There is only them. They just look at each other and she smiles and leans forward to kiss him. It’s a quick kiss before she pulls away again and stares into his eyes.

“I was on my way to you to tell you that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I’m sorry that you thought that I didn’t show up because I didn’t want you. You have to know that I want you with every fiber of my being. I love you, Victoria. You are my future.” he confesses and wipes away the tears on her cheeks.

“I love you, too, Lucas. So much. I was so scared that you wouldn’t wake up.” she sobs.

He sits up and tells her to lie down beside him. She hesitates at first but he assures her that he won’t break and he just needs to hold her. She settles down beside him as he wraps his arms around her frame. She puts her head on his chest listening to the steady beating of his heart and she sighs in relief.

“I want to marry you as soon as possible.” he whispers and kisses her forehead.

“You, Lucas Ripley, will recover first and then we can talk about weddings and other things. I need you healthy.” she tells him and he chuckles.

“Whatever you say, Mrs. Ripley.” he teases her and she smiles against his chest, loving the sound of that.

“Thank you, Lucas.” she mutters.

“For what?” he asks curiously.

“For keeping your promise and coming back to me.” she kisses his chest where his heart is beating and snuggles back into him. 

“I will always come back to you.” he whispers and kisses her forehead again before they both fall asleep in each others arms. Just like they are meant to.


End file.
